who was it ? marciano was said to be one the hardest and cleanest living(no partying ) fighters of all time i also believe that after zale - graziano 1 when zale came back for the win after the fight all he kept repeating was "clean living did it"
Corbett prided himself on his conditioning, and reports suggest that Peter Jackson collapsed after their 61 round draw. Well, Jeffries was in Corbett's camp while Corbett was training for Fitz, and it pissed Corbett off no end that Jeff was able to run faster and longer than he. Jeff was an incredible athlete and genetic freak. Having an injured left arm in the rematch with Sharkey, he inflicted all the damage on Sailor Tom with his less heralded right, under movie lights so hot they singed the hair of the combatants. (Jeffries lost 20 pounds during those 25 scorching rounds.)
If Sharkey lost the same amount of weight, he would be 163lbs at the end, an average middle weight. Tunney was a very well conditioned champion.
Sharkey reportedly had a fan behind his corner, affording him a modicum of relief between rounds if true. It's been widely speculated that Jeff's recorded weight was deflated for many bouts. Yes, Tunney was ridiculously well conditioned and disciplined. There are stories that as a kid he would deliberately refuse ice cream when readily available, and other such acts of self deprivation strictly as a means of developing increased control over himself. He could well have made a career with the USMC.
Best conditioned ever? I would have to say Bat Nelson. The mans feats of endurance in the ring have never been surpased and probably never will be.
Do you have any reports on this? I find it hard to believe considering that Corbett and Jeffries had a sprint race (i think it was a beach race though) and Corbett won. He also regularly beat Jeffries at handball, for what that is worth. Corbett is probably the most underated "athlete" of all the champions. Of the modern champs, they dont really come any better than Ali. He would have to be right up there.
I've read that Jeffries stayed with Corbett when they did roadwork, Corbett would allways end with a sprint, burning off his sparring partners,but ,in an interview in old B I magazine , Corbett said ,he could not shake off Jeffries who, respectfully never passed the champion.